Apparatus for cutting and impressing substances



7 Sheets-Sheet 1 c. DOERING ETAL Filed July 13 mvN May 18, 1948.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND IMPRESSING SUBSTANCES INVENTORS. CHA RL Es 005mm; HENRY H. DOERING. BERTIL J 'SKOGLUND. ERIC w A DERSON.

I afromvsv May 18, 1948. c. DOERING ErAL 2,441,757

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND IMPRESSING SUBSTANCES Filed July 13, 1942 '7 SheetsSheet 2 III H IN VE N TORS.

CHARLES DOERING. HENRY H. DOE RING. BERTIL J. SKOGLUND.

BY ERIC .ANDERSON.

ATTORNEY.

May 1-8, 1948.

c. DOERING El l.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND IMPRESSING SUBS TANCES Filed July 13,1942 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 18, 1948. I c, DQERING ETAL 2,441,757

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND IMPRESSING SUBSTANCES Filed July 15, 1942 v Sheets-Sheet 4 9 nvwsurok s.

CHARLES DOERING.

HE NRYH. DOERING.

BERT/L J. SKOGLUND.

I v V ERICW NDERSON. BY- 6C (0 ATTORNEY May 18, 1948. c. DOERING ETAL APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND IMPRESSING SUBSTANCES Filed Jul 13, 1942 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 will May 18, 1948.

7 Sheets-Sheet 6 FTYZO.

I all,

I N VE N TORS.

CHARLES DOE RING.

HENRY H. DOE RING. BE RTIL J. SKOGLUND. ERIC W. NDERSON.

1 ATTORNE Y Patented May 18, .1948

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING AND IMPRESS- ING SUBSTANCES Charles Doering,

derson,

Henry H. Doering, Eric W. Anand Berti! J. Skoglund, Chicago, Ill.;

said Anderson and said Skoglund assignors to said Charles Doerint Doering and said Henry H.

Application July 13, 1942, Serial No. 450,789

Claims. (Cl. 31-20) This invention relates to combined cutting and impressing devices for converting edible plastic slabs into segmented and impressed units of varied or any desired surface design, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates moreespecially the provision 3f cutting and impressing instrumentalities com- )ined to convert edible plastics into polygonal units in a single operation constituting automatisally repeated continuous operations.

It has been customary to form edible plastics such as butter and kindred edible substances into rectangular bricks of varying weights; however, these necessitated transverse and longitudinal severance with auxiliary devices to create rectangular segments primarily for restaurant purposes. This not only entails much labor in the preparation thereof for serving to the consumer, but also the contour thereof is only utilitarian and does not enhance the appearance thereof, an important factor in pleasing the taste of the individual consumer.

The novel formation of edible plastics into adhering units of varied design imparts a continuous polygonal effect, serves to impart a more pleasant appearance thereto, and also eliminates considerable labor heretofore necessary in producing palatable segments thereof. Edible plastics produced in accordance with the teachings of the present invention require a single operating stroke severance and surface design formation, this being distinguished from the usual method of longitudinal and then transverse division of bricks into multiple segments of usual rectangular shape without any possible surface design that is not altogether advantageous for restaurant purposes.

Power operation of converging means serves to feed slabs of substance in the path of the impressing and cutting instrumentalities to render the latter effective to convert the slabs into design impressed multiple segments or units in a continuity of operations without manual intervention. This may be in the form of suitable automatic controls dependingupon the'dictates of commercial practice. It is important that the power instrumentalities that actuate the cutting and impressing instrumentalities, be controlled to the extent of creating a single actuation for each slab of material that is presented thereto. This is controlled automatically to avoid a duplication of impressions and to insure precision as well as a maximum production by the improved combination of elements that makes possible the simultaneous power actuation of impressing, cutting and synchronized feeding instrumentalities in devices of this character.

' One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is to provide a simple, effective, and continuous operating machine to effect the formation of edible plastic slabs into a plurality of multiple segments of any selected surface design to render such more palatable and attractive.

Still another object is to provide an improved combination of elements that automatically feeds, impresses, and severs plastic slabs into a plurality of segmented units to the desired shape and appearance.

A further object is to provide an improved combination of feeding, segmenting, surface impressing, and discharging instrumentalities automatically operative in synchronized timed relation for the conversion of edible plastic slabs into multiple segments-impressed with selected surface designs thereof.

A still further object is to provide a novel combination of feeding, impressing, cutting, wrapping and discharging instrumentalities in a continuously operating automatic machine.

Still a further object is to provide a novel combination of feeding, impressing, cutting, and ejecting instrumentalities in combination with thermal control means to continuously convert edible plastic slabs into multiple segments without human intervention.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.-

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a device embodying teachings of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view in elevation of a mixing valve and gauge constituting the thermal medium control.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine shown in Figure 1, parts thereof being broken away to enable an enlar ed showing.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the stacker instrumentalities.-

Figure 5 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line V-V of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view ,of a slab disposed on the sheet of paper serving as a supporting medium therefor.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view in elevation showing the folding operation of ing device for the control handle shown in Figure 9.

Figure 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional side view in elevation showing the cam arrangement and belt adjusting instrumentalities taken substantially along line XE[XII of Figure 3.

Figure 13 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line XIII-XIII of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line XIV-XIV of Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a plan view of the feeding belt synchronizing lever.

Figure 16 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line XVI-XVI of Figure 3.

Figure 17 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line XVlI-XVII of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a plan view of the heater plate viewed substantially along line XVIII-XVIII of Figure 16.

Figure 19 is a fragmentary plan view of the slab supporting plate viewed substantially along line XIX-XIX of Figure 17.

Figure 20 is a sectional view in elevation of the folding apparatus.

Figure 21 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line XXI-XXI of Figure 20.

Figure 22 is a plan view of a sample segmented slab converted into a plurality of individual surface impressed units.

Figure 23 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line XXIII-XXII of Figure 1.

Figure 24 is a sectional view in elevation taken substantially along line XXWXX[V of Figure 12 showing the centering instrumentality.

Figure 25 is a fragmentary side sectional view in elevation of the stacking instrumentalities after the slabs have been impressed and segmented.

Figure 26 is a sectional view in elevation of the sheet feeding plunger.

Figure 27 is a plan view of the stacking plate.

Figure 28 is a sectional view in elevation taken through the card feeding plunger guide.

The structure selected for illustration comprises a horizontal frame member ID of substantially rectangular configuration which is supported at the desired elevation by a plurality of corner standards II, preferably though not essentially, comprising angle irons attached at the upper ends to the frame member I9 by welding, riveting, or other suitable fastening expedients. Intermediate vertical braces I2 depend from the frame member III to horizontal braces I3 that extend between the corner standards II to reinforce the frame I against vibration and creeping.

A plurality of plastic slabs I4 are superposed in vertical stacked relation with intermediate sheets I preparatory to processing with the instrumentalities which will be hereinafter described. The

superposed slabs I4 are readily formed in any suitable manner as commercial practice may dictate. One method of forming superposed slabs is fullyillustrated in copending application, SeriaLNumber 269,297, filed April 21, 1939 which eventuated into Letters Patent No. 2,321,188, dated June 8, 1943. The individual slabs I4 each with a supporting paper sheet l5 are manually placed on an endless conveyor belt I6 which extends over horizontally disposed drums I1 journalled on shafts I8 supported on the frame In (Figure 1).

III to horizontally support the conveyor belt I6 which is provided with uniformly spaced transverse cleats 20.

The cleats 20 are spaced to receive the indi-- vidual slabs I4 and paper sheet I5 therebetween, and an idler roller 2I is journalled for rotary support thereover on a shaft 22 to rehder the slabs I4 fiat and remove any depressions therein preparatory to cutting and impressing. The shaft 22 is supported between brackets 23 that maintains the idler roller 2i in superposed endless relation with the conveyor belt I6 so that the upper surface of the com veyor supported slab I4 will just pass beneath I the peripheral'surface of the roller 2| to insure the desired and uniform thickness of each slab preparatory to being severed and impressed with a surface design in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

The endless conveyor belt I6 has a linear speed that is somewhat slower than the conveyor drums I1 so that Q booster mechanism comprising an arm 24 is mounted as at 25to an oscillating arm 26 mounted on a stub shaft 21. The stub shaft 21 has fixed thereto a pair of spaced levers 28 disposed on both sides of the belt I6, which are normally urged in a counter-clockwise direction (viewed in Figure 12) by means of a spring 29. The spring 29 is anchored at one extremity as at 39 to the bottom of one of the levers 28 and the other extremity 3I thereof is anchored to a standard II of the frame I 0.

The levers 28 are oscillated by the shaft 21 responsive to a cam 32 mounted on the shaft 33 which is journaled in a bracket 34. Rotation is imparted to the stub shaft 33 through instrumentalities to be hereinafter described, but

the rotation of the cam 32 imparts an oscillatory movement to the booster arm 24 that is displaced in the path of the cleats 20 as such are disposed on the underside of the conveyor belt I6 in the traverse thereof around the drums I1.

The booster arm 24 with its lever is fixed to the shaft 21 and the arm 26 has a cam follower 35 mounted thereon in the path of the cam 32.

The booster or index arm 24 is held in contact with the conveyor belt I6 by means of the spring 36 that is disposed around a rod 31 which projects through a depending member 38 formed on the booster arm 24. The spring 36 is disposed on the rod 31 between the depending booster arm member 38 and the shoulder 39 provided on the rod 31. The spring 29 maintains the cam follower 35 in constant contact with the periphery of the cam 32 which in turn displaces the belt I6 through the booster arm 24 in the direction of its path of traverse to insure the proper positioning and indexing thereof relative to the feeding mechanism to be hereinafter described.

The feeding mechanism that is responsible for displacing the slabs I4 from the belt I 6 to another conveying apparatus, consists of a feeder arm or block 40 attached to an inclined strap 41 terminating in a round extremity 42. The extremity To this end, the shafts I8 are mounted in brackets I9 fixed to the top edges of the frame 42 is journalled in vertical slots obstruction thereto or influencing the movement of the belt l6 in consequence of the reciprocal movement of the feeding arm 40.

The feeding arm 40 in its forward movement in the direction of travel of the endless conveyor belt [6 displaces a slab [4 with its sheet 15 above runways 46 and beneath guides 41 that are correspondingly spaced and confront each other. The runways 46 and guides" are fixed along opposite sides of the conveyor belt 16 to define a path of travel for the slab l4 and its much wider supporting sheet l5.

The upper guides 41 are of rigid construction and are arcuately curved upwardly as at 46 (Figs. 1 and 12) to admit the sheet l thereunder with the slab l4 disposed therebetween. The lower guides or runways 46 are of resilient metallic construction which serve to confine and maintain the sheet l5 flat against the upper guides 41 to avoid curling or wrinkling until it arrives at a position beyond the impressing and cutting instrumentalities as will appear more fully hereinafter.

The shaft 43 is adjustably secured in the slots 44 by means of confronting fastener nuts 44', thereby enabling the feeder arm 40 to be vertically adjusted relative to the endless conveyor belt i6. The coil springs 44" envelop the shaft 43 and engage the feeder arm strap 4| to normally urge the feeder block 40 in a counterclockwise direction (viewed from Figure 12) to establish contact behind the slab l4 in displacing it forward beyond the conveyor belt i6.

It should be noted that the forward conveyor roller I! is ratchet-operated to' intermittently advance the conveyor belt l6 in a direction so that its top surface travels toward the feeder block 40. Then, too, the conveyor belt l6 can be moved in the direction of its travel at a rate greater than the ratcheting operation provides, and this enables the booster arm 24 to advance the conveyor belt l6 so that the roller I'I rides over the ratchet. This is effected by the booster mechanism including .the arm 24 which insures correct timing of the conveyor belt l6 with the operation of the feeder block 46 in the event these instrumentalities should not be in their proper synchronized relative position for successive feeding and transfer of the substance slabs l4. To this end, the roller shaft 18 carries a ratchet wheel 46 (Figure 14) that is secured to a tubu- -lar hub 49 through a keyway 50. A plurality of pawls 5|, in this instance four, are pivotally mounted to a sleeve 52,- and springs 53 exert a pivotal urge thereto in a clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 14) to maintain the pawls in operating engagement with the periphery of ratchet wheel 48'.

There are an odd number of teeth in the ratchet wheel 48' which cooperate with the even number of pawls 5| so that each movement of the ratchet wheel 48' will cause a successive pawl 5| to engage in a tooth thereof. This affords a short intermittent ste without providing unnecessarily small teeth around the ratchet wheel 48', thereby aining the advantage of a strong and durable ratchet wheel with fine short intermit- 6 tent steps occasioned by the operation of the shaft it that is oscillated in a manner which will appear more fully hereinafter. By this arrangement, the top surface of the conveyor belt I6 can be moved forwardly in the direction of the roller I! by either the booster arm 24 or manual displacement. The pawls it ride over the ratchet wheel 48'.

The feeder block 46 displaces the slab of plastic material such as butter l4 with its supporting paper sheet I! onto a plate 54 through the medium of an apron 55 that is interposed between the forward end of the conveyor I6 and the resilient guides 46 that are anchored thereto as at I56 (Figure 12). A slotted bracket 51 serves to adJustably mount the apron 55 to assume the proper position as an intermediate supporting surface between the conveyor 16 and the guides 46. r

The chain plates 54 are attached to brackets 56 disposed along a transverse median line thereof so that the lower bracket portions conforming with the links of the chains 54' can constitute an element or link portion thereof to carry the plates 54. Spacer strips 66 are interposed between the chain plates 54 for mounted attachment to the chains 54' through link brackets 60 (Figure 25).

It should be noted that the spacer strips. 56 interposed between the chain plates-54 have upstanding nibs 6| along their edges to serve as stops for the plastic slabs l4 disposed on the adjacent chain plates 54. So that the plastic slabs 14 will be centered on the chain plates 54, they are initially deposited somewhat to one side thereof by reason of the somewhat laterally oif-' set positioning of the conveyor belt I6 relative to the chain plates 54. This enables a centering device comprising, in this instance, an upstanding plate 62 to shift the plastic slab l4 with its paper sheet l5 toward the center. The upstanding plate 62 is mounted to move crosswise of the chain plate 54 (Figure 3) and this movement is constantly effected through the operation of a cam actuator toward an adjustably mounted stop 63 as will appear more fully hereafter. The stop 63 is supported by an arm 64 that is adJustably attached to a boss 65. The stop 63 (Figure 24) is held in its adjusted position by a wing nut 66 to provide the proper positioning of the slab l4 by the centralizing member 62.

The centralizer 62 is pivotally mounted on a through which an actuator depending screw or bolt 12 threadedly-projects. Another threaded stud I2 extends therethrough to confront an offset 13 fixed to a bracket 69 and having a depending arm 13 to which a spring 14 is attached. The stud 12' serves as an adjustable stop for the slab centralizer 62. The other end of the spring 14 is anchored to the projection 15 of the arm ll (Figure 1) to normally establish contact between the centralizing offset arm ll through its threaded stud i2 and the cam actuator to be hereinafter described.

It should be noted that the central portion of each of the chain plates 54 is depressed as at 16 so that when the chain plate 54 is elevated against the die and pressure is applied to the slab 14, the central portion thereof is embossed downwardly to compensate for the movement of the severing blades therethrough and impart even impressions by the embossing dies thereon. The severing blades are arranged so that ordinarily the central region of the butter slab I4 is displaced further than the outside portions to compensate for the otherwise uneven impressions that would result throughout the surface extent of the slab I4. This is better understandable from the description of the cutting and impressing instrumentalities, which embody a piston 11 vertically reciprocable in a guide cylinder I8 (Figure 16) constituting part of a sub-frame I9 that is positioned between the confronting angles comprising part of the frame I8.

It should be observed that the piston 11 (Figures 16 and 17) has a roller 88 mounted, on a stud shaft 8| positioned inwardly of a correspondingly shaped recess 82 that is somewhat larger than the roller 88. The roller 88 serves as a cam follower in confronting relation with a cam 82 mounted on the driving shaft I83 to raise and lower the piston 11 to which aplate 83 is attached. The plate 83 is attached to the piston I1 by virtue of threaded fasteners 84 so that the reciprocal movement of the plate 83 will correspond with the movement imparted to the piston 'II responsive to the cam 82.

It should be noted that the plate 83 carries arms 8586 which are attached to the underside thereof as at 81 to serve as a complement of the links comprising part of the chains 54'. The plate arms 8586 terminate in extremities 88 shaped as complements of the links of chains 54' to protrude therethrough and serve as an indexing mechanism so that the chain plates 54 will be accurately centered relative to the reciprocable piston TI at its uppermost position of move-' ment. The upper reciprocal movement of the piston 11 will cause the indexing arms 85-86 to protrude through the links of chains 54' and elevate the slab supporting chain plate 54 superposed th'ereover. This carries the index chain plate 54 with the slab I4 upwardly against a diehousing 89. In this upward movement of the chain plate 54, the lower resilient guides 46 move therewith to carry the slab I4 against a plurality of individual dies 98 fixed to the housing 89 with normally intersecting cutting blades 9I disposed therebetween. The normally intersecting blades 9| are attached to the housing 89 while the dies 98 are reciprocable relative thereto with the plate 92 which moves therewith.

The plate 92 is disposed above the cutter blades 9| so that the individual dies 98 can be raised or lowered with their mounting relative to the blades 9| depending upon the movement of the slab I4 with its supporting chain plate 54 in a vertically upward direction.

In order to control the temperature of the plastic slab I4 so that the dies 98 and cutting blades 9| can perform their impressing and severing operations with the desired degree of perfection, a heating plate 93 is disposed above the diemounting plate 92 for contact therewith. To this end, the heating plate 93 is provided with a circuitous length of tubing 94 disposed therethrough to communicate with an inlet 95 and an outlet 96. The heating plate 93 is loosely supported by the die-mounting plate 92 without any connection therebetween. Temperature controlled water circulates throughout the circuitous tubing 94 in the heating plate 93 through the medium of flexible conduits 91 and 98 which connect with the inlet 95 and outlet 96.

The dies 98 with their cutting plates 9| may be removed as a unit with the housing 89 which has upstanding side arms 99. The side arms 99 are providedwith side grooves I 88 serving as complement-s of corresponding tongues I8I provided at the lower edges of depending plates I82. This enables the plate and die supporting housing 89 to be horizontally engaged and disengaged relative to the depending bracket plates I82 so that they can be readily attached or detached as well as interchanging depending upon the dictates of commercial practice. To this end, the die and cutter supporting housing 89 has a handle 89' (Figure 1'7) attached thereto to enable the convenient attachment and detachment thereof with the dies 98 and cutter blades 9| comprising elements thereof.

The depending plates I82 constitute a part of a bracket I83 which is superposed and vertically aligned with the piston confining bracket I9 through a plurality of rods I84 that are threadedly connected therebetween through any suitable fasteners such as nuts I85 and I86, the former engaging the studs I84 above the bracket I9 and the latter disposed on both sides of the upper bracket I83 for connection to the threaded portions of the rods I84.

The discharge flexible conduit 98 communicates with a vertically positioned pipe I81 (Figure 1) serving to conduct the discharge flow to a floor drain or for any other disposition that commercial practice may dictate. The hot and cold water supply pipes I88I88' are connected to T-unions I89-I I8 to communicate with and support a mixing chamber III on a substantially inverted U-shaped bracket H2. The side arms of the bracket II2 are attached to the frame I8 as at I I3 to support the mixing chamber I I I above the impressing and cutting instrumentalities.

The mixing'chamber III has a rotatablymounted valve handle II4 which controls the temperature of the water flowing through the flexible tube 91 to the heating plate 93. A temperature indicator such as a thermometer H5 is mounted through pipe connectors II6 to the mixing chamber III so that the water will be conducted thereto for temperature indication. A T H! is disposed between the thermometer H5 and the mixing-valve III to provide a branched pipe connection II8 that leads to a nipple H9 to which the flexible water supply tube 91 is attached' It should be noted that the cold water supply pipe I88 has a T I28 provided therein between the mixing chamber III to provide a connection to a plugged T I2I which accommodates a flexible tube I22 communicating therewith. The flexible tube I22 terminates in an adjustable nozzle I23 that is mounted on a bracket I24 supported by the frame I8 through the medium of a strap member I25.

The nozzle I23 is disposed above the chain plates 54 beyond the impressing dies 90 and cutting blades 9I to compensate for the moisture lost during the impressing operation and to avoid drying of the paper sheet I5 supporting the plastic slab I4. This spray of cold water which is discharged by the nozzle I23 is positioned to provide the necessary moisture immediately after the impressing and cutting step and just prior to the folding of the paper around the plastic slab I4 which already has been impressed and severed into segments.

It should be noted that the strap member I25 also supports the terminal end of the upper paper guide 41 immediately in front of the paper folding instrumentalities which will be presently described. The flexible lower paper guides 43 terminate in upwardly inclined guide extensions I21 over which the end portions of the paper sheet I ride to commence the upper folding movement thereof. The upwardly inclined guide extensions I21 terminate in horizontal angle members I23 which are anchored at their free extremities to brackets I29 fixed to a crossbar I30. The crossbar I30 is adjustably supported by vertical tubular posts I3 I which have threaded connection with smaller threaded posts I32 in actual line with their width to enable the raising and lowering of the crossbar I30 responsive to rotating the upper and somewhat larger posts I3I having a handle I33 fixed to their top extremity for that purpose Coil springs I34 envelop the threadedly connected rods I3II32 beneath the crossbar I30 to maintain the elevated position of adjustment against axial relative rotation between the threadedly connected tubular rods I3I-I32.

Folder arms I35, in this instance two, have angularly offset and upwardly extending shanks I 33 (Figure which terminate in horizontal portions I31 parallel to the arms I35 for journalled support along the inward extremities of horizontally projecting bearing arms I33. The horizontal portions I31 of the folder arm shanks I33 terminate beyond the bearing arms I33 in rollers I33 that project latterly in and ride alon the channel crossbar I -serving as a guide for the horizontal transverse displacement of the The outward exfolder arms I (Figure 20). tremities of the bearing arms I38 are pivotally connected to a lever arm I40.

To this end, the bearing arms I33 can be pivotally adjusted to raise or lower the folding arms I35 by manipulating the handle members I33 that are operatively connected to the adjusting rods I3I. This will enable folding of the sheet I5 over the slab l4 (Figure 'l) irrespective of the thickness of the slab I4 should such be varied within the dictates of commercial practice. The folder arms I35 have resilient sleeves I4I disposed thereover to comprise a part thereof for movement in unison therewith transversely of the chain plates 54.

To overlap the ends of the slab supporting paper sheet I5, the folder arms I35 with their soft, yieldable sleeves I4I, preferably though not essentially formed from rubber, move in toward each other with one positioned ahead of the other so that one fold I5 is first made over the slab I4 and thereafter the opposite edge portion I5" is folded to overlap the first fold I5. The movement of one folding arm I35 ahead of the other permits this overlapping without one roller obstructing the other and effects the complete paper envelopment of the slab I 4 after it has been ornamentally impressed as at I42 and severed into segments I43 (Figure 22).

In order to eifect the inward time displacement of the folder arms I35 in advance of each other, the curvedlever arms I 40 are each pivoted intermediate the extremities thereof as at I44 to a boss I45 formed integral with an angular bracket I 46' that is attached to the frame I0 to serve as a pivotal mount for the opposing lever'arms I40. The lewer extremities of the lever arms I43 beyond the shafts I 44 have cam follower rollers I43 mounted thereon for positioning in the path of cams I41 fixed to the shaft- I43. 'The shaft I48 is journalled for support in the brackets I43 for rotation responsive to a sprocket wheel I49 which is fixed thereto. In order that the cam follower rollers I43 will always be in engagement with the cams I41, a coil spring I50 has its extremities anchored to pins I5I which pivotaily support the cam followers I43 on the lower extremities of the lever arms I40.

Consequently, the cam followers I43 will be spring urged toward each other to constantly engage the irregular cam surfaces I41 that are shaped to provide the proper movement and displacement to the lever arms I40 in advanced time relation relative to each other to effect horizontal inward and outward displacement of the folder arms I35. It should be noted that the moisture issuing out of the adjustable nozzle I23 for sprayed application to the slab I4 and paper sheet I5, suificiently wets the folded paper extremities I5'-I5" to effect the adhesion between the butter I4 and the folded protecting paper I5.

After the impressed and segmented slab I4 has I linear upward travel somewhat above the frame I0 and below the endless conveyor belt I3. These serve to intermittently move the rigid chain plates 54 and their intermediate spacer strips 53 in a corresponding direction of travel of the conveyor belt I3 to momentarily halt the movement of each slab supporting plate 54 below the severing and impressing instrumentalities described supra.

v Intermittent movement is imparted to the endless chains 54' by means of the forward sprockets I52 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced and latterly projecting trunnlons I54, in this instance four, which cooperate with the hooked end I55 of a lever arm I53. The elongated lever I53 is supported proximate to the hooked extremity I 55 thereof by a pin I51 which engages a link I58 pivotaily supported by a bolt I59 mounted 'in the extremity I30 of the bracket I43 which supports the shaft I48. The lever I53 is pivotally connected to a crank pin I3I anchored in the crank I32 fixed to the main driving shaft I63 (Figure 16).

I guide the hooked extremity I55 and-limiting its upward movement to insure a uniform path of travel backward and forward in accomplishirs the intermittent travel of the chain 54'.

It should be noted that when the slab supporting plates 54 reach their end and travel around the sprockets I52-I53 (Figure 25), the plates 54 tilt at an angle to clear the nibs 3| on the spacer bars 53 and thus freedom of discharge movement of the slabs I4 with their folded wrappers I5 is accomplished responsive to the intermittent movement of the chain 54'. As the tilting slab supporting plates 54 progress around the forward sprocket I52 in their extreme end displacement, the successive tilting of the plates 54 provides for the' discharge of each of the slabs I4, with its paper I5, as will appear more fully hereinafter,

. on to an oscillating stacker tray I35 having a serrated edgeJIiG disposed adjacent to the discharge 11 end of the plates 54. The oscillating stacker tray I85 is attached to spaced arms I81, in this instance two. which comprise a part of a tubular transfer sleeve I63. The tubular transfer sleeve I 88 is attached to a lever arm I68 which is pivoted as at I19 to an ear "I of a sleeve I12. The sleeve I 12 is reciprocally mounted for sliding movement on a rod I13 having a collar stop I14 adjustably fixed along the extremity of the rod I13.

Another collar I 15 is adiustably fixed to the rod I13 on the other side of the sleeve I12 at a distance from the collar stop I14 that is somewhat greater than the length of the sleeve I12. This provides for suilicient play between the sleeve I12 and the rod I13 providing a loose connection.

I ing reciprocal movement to the rod I13 which in turn pivotally oscillates the stacker tray I85 from the lowest position of discharge of the slabs I4 sliding of! the inclined supporting plate 94 as it moves over the forward sprocket. I52 (Figure 25) From this extreme position, the wrapped slab I 4 is transferred to a supporting table surface I18 for edgewise positioning thereon against stop I19. The stop I19 yields rearwardly to make room for successive slabs I4 as such are vertically stacked on the supporting surface I 18 (Figure 25). To this end, the stop plate I19 has a tubular rod I89 anchored thereto as at I8I to serve as a guide therefor.

The tubular rod I89 is telescopically received in and displaced along somewhat larger aligned rod I82 which is fastened to the table supporting surface I18 by means of brackets I83 and I84. Compression spring I85 of a length somewhat reater than the combined extended rods I89-I 82 is inserted axially therethrough for retention under compression by means of a threaded plug I 88 serving to close the free extremity of the larger rod I82. As a result, the successive stacking of the wrapped slabs I4 on the table surface I 18 against the stop plate I19, will displace the latter against the action of the spring I85 for retention in position along their top edge by a holder plate I81.

The holder plate I 81 is stamped or otherwise shaped to provide a series of perforations I 88 to minimize the weight thereof and to enable observation therethrough. The perforated holder plate I81 terminates in the upwardly extending shoulder I 99 having a horizontal offset flange I9I to engage the comer I92 of the last vertically stacked and. wrapped slab I4. In this position of engagement to maintain the stacked wrapped slabs I4 in a vertical position, the holder plate I81 is normally inclined downwardly for pivotal mounting to a pintle I93 carried by spaced brackets I94. The brackets I94 are permanently attached to upstanding extensions I95 comprising part of bracket arms I86 fixed to a cardboard confining magazine I91 as will appear more fully hereinafter (Figure 25).

The magazine I91 has upstanding front guide posts I88, in this instance two, which are attached to a cross plate I89 having adjustable vertical connection with the upward bracket extensions I95. An elongated bolt 299 extends through the cross plate I89 to engage an upstanding apron 29I comprising a part of the holder plate I81. A threaded engaging nut 292 engages the extremity of the bolt 299 after it projects through the holder plate apron 29I to adjustably limit the ex reme 12 downward position of the holder plate I 81 and more particularly its corner engaging extremity I8III9I so that the weight of the latter will not rest-completely on the vertically stacked slabs I4. This affords the upward tilting of the plate holder I81 in a counter clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 25) as each wrapped siab' I4 is transferred by the stacker tray I85 to the supporting table During this transfer and displacement of the wrapped slabs I4, the holder plate I8! is lifted to permit the transfer of the slab I4 past the holder plate I81 to its vertical position on the supporting surface I 18, and thereupon, the corner bracket I89-I9I of the holder plate I81 will return to its position of engagement with the .corner I92 of the last stacked slab I4 to retain bottom plate 295. The bottom plate 295 is at-v tached to a supporting plate 296 having upstanding fasteners such as threaded studs 291 which project through slots 298 provided in the bottom plate 295 for adjustment along the supporting plate 296. This permits the forward and rearward adiustable displacement of the upstanding rearward plate 294.

The magazine I91 is supported by side plates 299 continuing downward from the side walls 293 for engagement with the frame I9. To this end, the supporting plates 298 terminate in brackets 2I9 anchored to the frame I9 by means of fasteners 2 (Figure 1).

A substantially U-shaped bracket rod 2I2 is welded or otherwise attached at its upward extremities to inclined card pusher rods 2I3 disposed along the upper surface of the magazine bottom 296. The lower extremity of the U- shaped bracket rod 2I2 has a spring plate 2I4 extending therefrom to provide an upwardly offset arm 2I5 attached to the forward end of the magazine bottom 296. A cross rod 2I6 has an eccentric section, 2" that contacts the spring plate 214. The cross rod 2I6 is rotatably supported by spaced side plates 299 serving as a magazine support. Handles 2I8 are attached to each projecting extremity to raise the pusher rods 2I3.to correspondingly raise the cards 2I9 confined in stacked relation in the magazine I 91. This elevates the cards 2I9 above a pair of card feeding tubular sleeves 229 so that there will be no card feeding when there are no slabs I4 being processed as described supra.

The cards serve as dividers and may be of any suitable material such as comparatively rigid cardboard properly treated by waxing or otherwise. The dividers are inserted during the machine stacking of the slabs I4 and prior to packing the stacked wrapped slabs I 4 into cartons. The dividers or insert cards 2 I 8 are of corresponding size and shape with the wrapped slabs I4, and are supplied for stacked confinement in the magazine I91 in an inclined position corresponding to the bottom 296. The lowermost insert card 2I9 is displaced from the magazine I91 in timed relation with the placement of the slab I4 on the stacker tray I85. In the present embodiment, an insert or divider card 2I9 is deposited on the wrapped slab I4 as it leaves the chain plate 54 (Figure 25) and is disposed on the stacker tray 165. Thereupon, the insert or divider card 213 is disposed on the wrapped slab 14 while being displaced to the supporting table surface 118 in vertical edgewise stacked relation.

This is accomplished by means of a feeding mechanism comprising, in this instance, a pair of tubular rods 220 that are telescopically disposed over the guide rods 229' which serve to support the divider or insert cards 219 in stacked relation within the magazine 191. The guide rods 220' are attached to the plate 206 by fasteners 206'. To this end, the telescopic tubular rods 220 terminate at their lower. extremity in enlarged sleeves .221. The sleeves 221 have an insert card engaging top shoulder 222 slightly above a rounded forward edge 223 that slides underneath the lowermost insert card 219. This permits the upraised shoulder 222 to engage the edge of the card 219 for displacement downwardly along the i .Zined guide rods 213 and beneath the lower extremities 224 of vertical guide posts 193. The vertical guide posts I93 serve to limit the accidental displacement of the superposed insert cards 219 from the magazine 191. Each of the posts confronts a slightly curved-projection 225 formed on the lower extremity of each of the rods 220'. The vertical rods 198 are adjustable to provide for the displacement of individual cards 219 with each stroke of the tubular feed rods 220, depending upon the thickness of the divider cards 219. A cross slot 226 provided-in each of the sleeves 221 just ahead of the engaging shoulder 222 communicates with the longitudinal slot 221 to accumulate the excess wax from the cards 213 without clogging and rendering ineffectual the engaging shoulder 222. Ithe tubular rods 220 have bottom slots 221 to permit the displacement of the rods 220 past the fastening spacer bars 221".

The tubular feed rods 220 terminate rearwardly in depending furcated brackets 228 that straddle a cross rod 229 which is attached at its extremities to confronting recessed bosses 230 comprising part of depending levers 231. Levers 231 are pivoted to a shaft 232 (Figures 21 and 25) that extends across the frame 11! to serve as a pivotal support thereof. The levers 231 terminate in arms 233 below thev pivot shaft 232 to carry cam followers 234 which are disposed in the path of peripheral cam edges 235 comprising part of the dual purpose cams 141 (Figure 20) fixed to the shaft 148 that is rotated in response v to a driving chain meshing with the sprocket 149.

The channels 236 are mounted on the sides of the magazine support 209. Rollers 231 are mounted on the ends of the cross shaft 231' which in turn is attached to the shaft 229 by means of a pair of arms 238; A pusher bar 239 is mounted on the cross-shaft 231' todisplace the impressed and segmented slabs 14 from the conveyor plates 54 when they are inclined at the terminal end of their path of travel for placement on the stacker plate 166. It should be noted that the variable connection offered by the furcated brackets 228 with the lever arm shaft 229 compensates for the arcuate path of the lever arms 238 and the substantially straight path of displacement of the tubular rods 220.

It should be noted that the slab centralizer 62 (see page 11 supra) is actuated by a bar 240 (Figures 1, 12 and 24) that is vertically displaced against the lower end of the adjustable stud 12. The actuator bar 240 is vertically guided in a slot (not shown) provided in the frame 18 (Figure 14 24) to reciprocate as will presently be described. To this end, the lower end of the actuator bar 240 is fixedly and rigidly attached to a link 241 by means of a suitable fastener such as a bolt 242. The rigid link 241 is fixedly connected to another link 243 at their adjacent extremities which have'a pivot pin or bolt 244 extending therethrough to retain said links 241-243 in any desired angular rigid relation to determine the extent of vertical displacement of the bar 240. .The other end of the link 243 is pivotally anchored as at 245 to a bracket 246 attached to the frame 10 to serve as an anchoring medium therefor. The interconnecting fixed pin or bolt .244 carries a cam follower roller 241 which is dis- .posed in the path of the dual purpose cam 32.

for actuating the rigid arm consisting of the links 241-243 and effecting the intermittent vertical reciprocation of the bar 248. The bar 240 has an offset extremity 24'8 disposed in the path of the depending pin 12 which is adjustable to provide the proper movement to the slab centralizer 62 in timed relation with the passing of each chain plate 54.

The operation of all these instrumentalities in the desired timed relation is accomplished, in this instance, by means of an electric motor 249 which has a built-in gear reducer 250 that is attached to a platform 251 extending between the frame cross-members 13 (Figures 1 and 9). The speed reducer 250 has a driver shaft 252 projecting therefrom to rotate a clutch element 253 in complementai association with a driven clutch element 254. The clutch element 254 is mounted on a driven shaft 255 (Figures 9 and 10) having a sprocket 256 attached thereto for rotation therewith. A bearing bracket 251 supports the shaft 255 for journalled rotation therein, and rotation is imparted to the sprocket 256 by controlling the position of the clutch element 253 relative to its complemental clutch element 254, these being engageable and disengageable through the actuation of the clutch element 253 by a yoke 258. The yoke 258 has trunnions 259 on the confronting arms thereof to engage in an annular groove 260 provided in the periphery of the clutch element 253. The yoke 258 terminates upwardly in an elongated circular boss 261 which is bored to receive a shaft 262 therethrough.

The shaft 262 is supported in bearing brackets 263 and 26 1 which are spaced for substantially the entire length of the frame Iii to provide for operating levers 265 and 266, in this instance two, at spaced points so that the attendant can con-- trol the clutch element 253 which is normally urged to engaging position with the clutch element 254 by a spring 261. The lever 265 is attached to the clutch actuating shaft 262 so that the oscillation of one will cause a corresponding movement with the other and similarly the lever 266 is attached to the shaft 262 so that one or the other of the levers 265-466 can be utilized to connect or disconnect the driven shaft 255 to the driving shaft 252.

In order to maintain the clutch elements 253-254 in connected or disconnected relation, the lever 266 (Figure 11) terminates downwardly in an angularly disposed arm 268 which confronts a cup 269 having a shank 210 extending downwardly therefrom to loosely project through a bearing 211 carried by a stud shaft 212. The bearing stud shaft 212 is journalled for rotation in a bearing bracket 213 which is attached to an end cross-member 13 of the frame 10. A spring 214 envelops the shank 210 to support the cup 269 relative to the bearing 2 and to impart an urge thereto in a vertically upward direction against the lever arm 268.

Consequently, the lever 266 will be held in one or the other of its two extreme positions corresponding to the engagement and disengagement of the clutch elements 253-254. In these two extreme positions'of the lever 266, the cup 269 will be shifted to an angular position owing to the permitted rotation of the stud shaft 212 carrying the bearing 21I, thereby holding the lever 266 and its angularly offset arm 268 in an oil center position through the urge of the spring 214. This action is effected irrespective of whether or not the operating lever 265 or 266 is manipulated and, therefore, the driven sprocket wheel 256 will be controlled by the position of the clutch element 253 relative to the clutch element 254 with the speed reducer driven shaft 252 rotating continuously.

The instrumentalities are driven responsive to the sprocket wheel 256 which has an endless chain 215 in meshing engagement therewith to engage the sprocket I11 fixed to the shaft I63. Another sprocket 216 is fixed to the sprocket I11 through a medium of threaded studs 211 (Figure 16) to rotate with the sprocket I11 and provide corresponding movement, to endless chains 215 and-218 in the meshing engagement therewith (Figure 8). The endless chain 218 also extends over a sprocket 219 andunder an adjacent sprocket 288 to impart corresponding rotation to a sprocket 28I fixed to the shaft 33 journalled in angularly disposed bearing brackets 34 that depend from the frame I9 (Figure 1).

It should be noted that the sprocket 288 is fixed to the shaft 283 that carries the plate supporting endless chains 54' around the sprockets I52I 53. The sprocket 219 is carried by a stub shaft 284 journalled in an angularly disposed bracket 285 fixed to the uprights I2 of the frame III. .Another sprocket 286 is attached to the stub shaft 284 to carry an endless chain 281 around a sprocket wheel 288 carried by the shaft I8 that serves to support the forward roller I1 for the endless feeder belt I6.

The sprocket 216' carried by the shaft I63 has an endless chain 289 extending thereover for meshing engagement with a sprocket .I49 carried by the shaft I48 to rotate the dual purpose cams I41--235 and to actuate the paper folder rollers I35-I4I. An idler sprocket 290 is adjustably mounted in a, bracket 29I (Figures 1 and 8) to maintain the endless chain 289 properly tensioned. It should be noted that the sprockets I52 are mounted on a tubular shaft 292 (Figure 23) that is journalled to receive the shaft I64 therethrough which carries the trunnion supporting disc I54. The solid axial shaft I64 rotates in unison with the tubular exterior shaft 292 so that the trunnions I54 engaged by the hook I55 serve to intermittently rotate the sprockets I52, the endless chains 54', and the slab supporting chain plates 54 and their intermediate spacer plates 59.

The trunnions I 54 and their supporting disc I54 are indexed by a lever 299 pivoted to the frame standard I-I (Figure 1) as at 294 to provide a substantially U-shaped hook 295 approximate to the free extremity thereof to be normally disposed in the path of the trunnions I54. A spring 296 engages a bracket 291 formed on the lever 293 so that the other spring extremity may be anchored to the corner frame standard Ii as at 298 to normally urge the indexing hook 295 in a counterclockwise direction (viewed from Figure 1) to successively receive the trunnions I54 therein for exact positioning of the chain plates 54 as they reach the end of their slab supporting position over the forward sprockets I52. With each forward stroke or movement of the trunnion displacing hook I55, its stroke displacement is such to engage the indexing lever bracket 291 to release the indexing hook 295 from a trunnion I54 and permit the engagement of the next successive trunnion to intermittently rotate the sprockets I 52 and the chain plates 54.

With the arrangement of the parts above described, it will be apparent that an automatic and continuous impressing and segmenting device has been provided which entails no manual intervention from the time that the slabs I4 are placed on the endless forwarding belt I6 and removed in their vertically stacked position on the opposite table supporting surf ce I18 where they are deposited after being. -segmented, ornamented, and wrapped.

It should be observed that the pressing and forming of predetermined designs, shapes, or preformed units are not limited to plastic material such as described in the illustrated embodiment. For instance, powder may be supplied between the coacting members for transformation into preformed units of any particular size, design and ornamental appearance.

We claim:

1. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as fiat sheets ofplastic'material, the combination with endless means for feeding the articles along a predetermined path, of combined cutting and impressing means mounted to confront said feeding' means, means for displacing said feeding means relative to said cutting and impressing means while in confronting relation therewith, means for displacing said feeding means along said path to successively locate the articles between said endless feeding means and impressingmeans, and means for discharging the impressed articles from the predetermined path of said feeding means.

2. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as fiat sheets of plastic material, the combination with means for feeding the articles along a predetermined path, of cutting and impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for intermittently moving said feeding means along said path, means for displacing said feeding means relative to said cutting and impressing means while said feeding means are at rest in confronting relation therewith, means for displacing said feeding means along said path to successively locate the articles between said feeding means and said cutting and impressing means, and means for discharging the impressed articles from the predetermined path of said feeding means.

3. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as fiat sheets of plastic material, the combination with an endless series of independently acting plates defining conveying means for feeding the articles along a predetermined path, of impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for horizontally displacing said conveying means, and means for displacing said endless plate means relative to the impressing means to act on each plate of the articles disposed on said feeding means.

' 17 4. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as flat sheets of plastic material, the combination with an endless series of independently acting plates defining conveying means for feeding the articles along a predetermined path, of impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for displacing said feeding means relative to said impressing means while in confronting relation therewith, and means for displacing said feeding means along said path to successively locate the articles between said endless feeding means and said impressing means.

5. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as fiat sheets of plastic material, the combination with an endless series of independently acting plates defining conveying means for feeding articles along a predetermined path, of impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for displacing said feeding means relative to said impressing means while in confronting relation therewith, means for displacing said feeding means along said path to successively locate the articles between said endless feeding means and said impressing means, and means for discharging the impressed articles from the predetermined path of said feeding means.

6. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as fiat sheets of plastic material, the combination with an endless series of independently acting plates defining conveying means for feeding articles along a predetermined path, of cutting and impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for intermittently moving said plate feeding means along said path and means for displacing said plate feeding means relativeto said cutting and impressing means while said plate feeding means are intermittently at rest to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means.

7. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as fiat sheets of plastic material, the combination with an endless series of independently acting plates defining conveying means for feed- .ing the articles disposed on paper sheet liners along a predetermined path, of means for centering the articles in said path, impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for displacing one of said feeding means and impressing means relative to the other to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means, and means for folding the paper sheet liners about the impressed articles while the latter are being displaced along the path for discharge therefrom.

8. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as flat sheets of plastic material, the combination with an endless series of independently acting plates defining conveying means for feeding the articles disposed on paper sheet liners along a predetermined path, of means for centering the articles in said path, impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for displacing one of said feeding means and impressing means relative to the other to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means, means for folding the paper sheet liners about the impressed articles while the latter are being displaced along the path for discharge therefrom, and means for spraying moisture in the path of said feeding means to humidify the article and paper liner before the folding thereof.

9. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and'impressing articles such as flat sheets of plastic material, the combination with an endless series of independently acting plates defining conveying means for feeding the articles disposed on paper sheet liners along a predetermined path, of means for centering the articles in said path, impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means Cal for displacing one of said feeding means and impressing means relative to the other to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means, means for folding the paper sheet liners about the impressed articles while the latter are being displaced alongthe path for discharge therefrom, means for spraying moisture in the path of said feeding means to humidify the article and paper liner before the folding thereof, and means for displacing the impressed and liner wrapped articles from the predetermined path of said feeding means.

10. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as flat sheets of plastic material, the combination with an endless series of independently acting plates defining conveying means for feeding the articles disposed on paper sheet liners along a predetermined path, of means for centering the articles in said path, impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for displacing one of said feeding means and impressing means relative to the other to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means, means for folding the paper sheet liners about the impressed articles while the latter are being displaced along the path for discharge therefrom, means for spraying moisture in the path of said feeding means to humidify the article and paper liner before the folding thereof, means for stacking said articles and paper liners in alignment, and means for interposing separator cards between successive wrapped articles stacked by said last named means.

11. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as fiat sheets of plastic material, the combination with means for feeding the articles disposed on paper sheet liners along a predetermined path, of means for centering the articles in said path, cutting and impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for intermittently moving said feeding means along said path, means for displacing said feeding and cutting-impressing means relative to each other, a while said feeding means are intermittently at rest to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means, and means for folding the paper sheet liners about the impressed articles while the latter are being displaced along the path for discharge therefrom.

12. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles ,such as flat sheets of plastic material, the combination with means for feeding the articles disposed on paper sheet liners along a predeter mined path, of means for centering the articles in said path, cutting and impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for intermittently moving said feeding means along said path, means for displacing said feeding and cutting-impressing means relative to each other .while said feeding means are intermittently at rest to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means, means for folding the paper sheet liners about the impressed articles while the latter are being displaced along the path for discharge therefrom, and means for displacing the impressed and liner wrapped articles from the predetermined path of said feeding means.

13. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as fiat sheets of plastic material, the combination with means for feeding the articles disposed on paper sheet liners along a predetermined path, of means for centering the articles in said path, cutting and impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for intermittently moving said feeding means along said path, means for displacing said feeding and cutting-impressing means relative to each other while said feeding means are intermittently at rest to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means. means for folding the paper sheet liners about the impressed articles while the latter are being displaced along the path for discharge therefrom, and means for discharging the impressed and liner wrapped articles from the predetermined path of said feeding means.

14. In a device of the character described for simultaneously cutting and impressing articles such as flat sheets of plastic material, the combination with means for feeding the articles disposed on paper sheet liners along a predetermined path, of means for centering the articles in said path, cutting and impressing means mounted to confront said feeding means, means for intermittently moving said feeding means along said path, means for displacing said feeding and cutting-impressing means relative to each other while said feeding means are intermittently at rest to act on the articles disposed on said feeding means, means for folding the paper sheet liners about the impressed articles while the latter are being displaced along the path for discharge therefrom, means for discharging the impressed and liner wrapped articles from the predetermined path of said feeding means, and means for interposing separator cards between successive wrapped articles stacked by said last named means.

15. In a device of the character described, the

20 combination with endless means to feed articles along a predetermined path, of an endless series of independent plates defining conveying means adjacent said first named endless means to receive articles therefrom, means for moving said conveying means with articles on said plates, im-

pressing means in confronting relation with said REFERENCES CITED The following'references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 126,641 Mabbitt May 14, 1872 162,257 Starks Apr. 20, 1875 541,642 Traiser June 25, 1895 760,827 Vicars et al May 24, 1904 814,486 Vicars et a1 Mar. 6, 1906 1,456,174 Beam May 22, 1923 1,481,304 Sharp et al Jan. 22, 1924 1,601,156 Adelmann 'Sept. 28, 1926 1,653,402 Kaser Dec. 20, 1927 1,899,595 Snyder et al. Feb. 28, 1933 2,141,226 Rubel et a1 Dec. 27, 1938 2,201,872 Rottenberg May 21, 1940 2,312,511 Weinberg Mar. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 162,031 Germany July 22, 1905 511,152 Germany Oct. 27, 1930 648,488 France Aug. 14, 1928 10,063 Great Britain 1909 16,789 Great Britain 1898 

